Kevin Bronson on November 4th, 2019

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Jesse Carmichael and Michael Wilson were two-thirds of L.A. trio Wildcat! Wildcat!, makers of sleek, airy electronic pop. The duo have reconnected as Kid Nobody, picking up pretty much where they left off.

Their lush debut single, “Ms. Stress” — the first from the forthcoming EP “Discretion” — offers a cascade of honeyed vocals and synths that descend into Wilson’s woozy relationship ruminations. It’s a not-quite-as-widescreen M83 vibe for somebody punch-drunk from love.

The song, Carmichael says, “is written from the perspective of a person stuck in an abusive relationship. There’s always a ‘should I stay or should I go’ nature but your inner dialogue gets more distorted the messier the relationship gets and the longer you’re in it. Jealousy and trust issues are common causes and/or symptoms of toxic relationships (‘oh my jealousy guy, I don’t believe it, no I don’t believe it’) and have a history of leading to affairs or broken commitments … hence the song title (ms. stress = mistress).”

||| Stream: “Ms. Stress”